Netflix Renews 'Orange Is the New Black' Before It Premieres

June 28, 2013 04:12:37 GMT

The Internet streaming media has ordered a second season of the comedic prison drama ahead of its July 11 debut.

Taylor Schilling is going to extend her stay in prison for "Orange Is the New Black". Netflix has officially announced the renewal of her new drama, weeks before it premieres on Netflix platforms on July 11 in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland and Latin America.

"Jenji [Kohan-produer] and her team have produced a phenomenal series and we're eager to get a second season to our viewers," says Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix in a statement. Series creator Kohan responds to the renewal, "I am thrilled that Netflix has extended my sentence."

Kevin Beggs, president of Lionsgate Television Group, chimes in, "We're enormously proud of the brilliant work of Jenji, the cast and the entire production team and we're delighted about this early second season renewal. Netflix has been a great partner on this series and we look forward to our continuing collaboration."

The second season will consist of another 13 episodes slated for a 2014 debut. Production is set to begin later this summer.

Based on Piper Kerman's memoir of the same title, "Orange Is the New Black" is a comedic drama set in a women's prison. Taylor Schilling plays Piper Chapman, an engaged Brooklynite whose decade-old relationship with drug-runner Alex (Laura Prepon) results in her arrest and yearlong detention in a federal penitentiary.

To pay her debt to society, Piper must trade her comfortable New York life with fiance Larry (Jason Biggs) for an orange prison jumpsuit and a baffling prison culture where she is forced to question everything she believes and form unexpected new alliances with a group of eccentric and outspoken inmates.